I subscribe to the Bothwell Group Management Thought of the Week e-mail. I can’t find last week’s thought on their website or I’d post a link. So here it is in full…

My grandfather always said that if I laughed before I cried and sang before I spoke I was a happy guy. Laughter was part of my growing up and is a part of my leadership style. Why do we take situations and ourselves so serious? Lighten up already have a good laugh relax and get back in the game. Laughter engages the right side of your brain; the creative side that helps you solve problems.

Home work, laugh at yourself this week and have some fun. Email me back and let me know how it went. jack@bothwellgroup.com

Bothwell Group also do a Sales Thought of the Week email.

It is very easy for investors and entrepreneurs to get bogged down with day-to-day problems, challenges and tedium. When I find myself frowning as I drive or think, I remember some really fun times of my life. Who needs a frown? Does it prove I’m the more successful person? Maybe in Victorian times it did. Know that I think about it, most of the portraits of my schools’ Principals were of frowning bald guys. Maybe frowning makes you bald?

Fun is important I’ve seen grown men chase each other around with paintball guns. We had a blast, we had fun, we made great decision that made money.

As an investor and entrepreneur, I believe in long term payoffs. I like the slogan

Today I do what others will not, so I can do tomorrow what others cannot.

But that does not mean forgetting to have fun along the way. If I’m going to wait for the long term it will help to have some laughs before it arrives.

What do you think?